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Two other changes in the political landscape make that scenario likely. As recently as 1960, forty-five percent of the voters cast their ballots in states decided by three points or less. In 2000, the number was fourteen percent. In 1960, Kennedy and Nixon won nine states by fifteen points or more. In 2000, Bush and Gore won twenty-two states (plus the District of Columbia) by margins that large. Safe states, once the exception, are now the rule. Swing states, once common, are few.

And here's exactly why geographic divisions in Congress now merely reinforce, rather than trump, partisan divisions. The "Two Americas," to borrow a misused phrase from a certain vice-presidential candidate, entertain extremely different worldviews, use different media, and indeed have very different and highly contradictory versions of reality. Southern/Mountain/Plains Democrats and Northeast/Left-coast Republicans are a dying breed. Even Schwarzenegger, Pataki, Chafee, Jeffords, Specter, and Bloomburg are considered in the conservative heartland with the same disdain that Left-coast Liberals reserve for Zell Miller and other serial "moderates."

And in this vitriolic political background, which I anticipate will cool only slightly in the next several years, we must fight and win the War.

This schism enforces a deep, lasting, and predictable divide in American politics that will prevail (I predict) for the next 36 years. There will be Liberal America and Conservative America, the latter of which will prevail increasingly for demographic reasons. A rare Democrat triumph might occur whenever Republican conservatives engage in a civil war of their own. What happens as we approach 2040? I have no idea.

There will be Liberal America and Conservative America, the latter of which will prevail increasingly for demographic reasons.

Liberal's power base and structure has declined with every election cycle for at least the past decade, both on the federal and state levels. Some people get it, like Zell Miller and John Breaux, e.g., but most liberals are in denial. Their undying allegiance to Clinton in the 90's and their hatred for Bush now has blinded them to reality. I have been waiting for many years for there to be a civil war in the Democrat Party and for someone of a moderate bent with at least a shred of integrity to rise from the ashes, but the Clintons have too much of a stranglehold on the party fundraising machine to allow that to happen.

If Kerry loses, the vitriol will be even more palpable. There may actually be some finger pointing among Democrats, but in the end, they'll continue to worship at the feet of the almightly Clintons. Hillary will be practically anointed for 2008 and she will lose badly to whomever the Republicans put up. Maybe then, the Clintons will ride off into the sunset or better for us, they'll continue to sink the Democrat Party further depths.